Electronic devices typically need to enter many different types of characters. For example, devices may need to input Asian syllabic or logographic characters. A user may need to perform such character entry in a file management program (e.g., Finder from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), an image management application (e.g., Aperture or iPhoto from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), a digital content (e.g., videos and music) management application (e.g., iTunes from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), a drawing application, a presentation application (e.g., Keynote from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), a word processing application (e.g., Pages from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), or a spreadsheet application (e.g., Numbers from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.).
But existing methods for entering syllabic or logographic characters are cumbersome and inefficient. For example, when the user uses a touch pad separate from the keyboard to draw a character, the user must move his hand back and forth between the keyboard and the touch pad. This going back and forth is tedious and creates a significant cognitive burden for the user. In addition, existing methods take longer than necessary, thereby wasting energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery operated devices.